FAQ

How much does the Online Self-Paced CFP® Certification Education cost?

The cost of the program is $3,195. Additional products can be added such as The Dalton Review® for the CFP® Certification Examination.

How long does it take to complete the program?

The program is designed to be completed in 9 months, which assumes you spend about 5 hours per week doing the online assignments and another 4-8 hours of reading chapters and completing the homework exercises. The program can be completed in less time if you are familiar with some of the material or if you are able to spend more than the recommended time each week.

How long do I have access? What happens if my access expires before I complete the program?

All students who enroll in the Self-Paced CFP® Certification Program will have access to their online classroom for 9 months, which is the projected completion time period. There is a complimentary 3-month grace period after your 9-month access has expired. After the initial 9-month access and 3-month grace period have ended, students that have not completed the program will have the option to extend access based on the following options:

3 Months: $200

6 Months: $375

12 Months: $700

All students will be notified before their access expires via email one month before the initial 9-month access ends and they are entering into the 3-month grace period at no charge. During the grace period, students can purchase additional time to access all education courses as long as needed. Other reminders will be emailed to notify students who are approaching an expiration date.

If a student allows their access to expire, there will be a $200 reactivation fee plus the charges for the time as described above. For example, if a student allows their access to expire and needs 3 more months to complete the program, there will be a $200 reactivation fee plus $200 to extend, or $400 in total. These fees are non-refundable and will not be pro-rated if the program is finished any sooner than anticipated. You must complete the certificate coursework within four years from the date of program enrollment. If you have not completed the program after four years and wish to continue, you will have to pay for the program again at current program pricing.

Does the Guarantee to Pass™ package apply to any of the Online Self-Paced CFP® Certification Programs?

No, the Guarantee to Pass™ package is not part of the self-paced programs and only applies to the package that includes virtual classroom instruction, textbooks, and the Dalton Review® Guarantee to Pass™. See the details of that package here.

How does this program compare to other online CFP® certification education programs?

Some of the major differences include:

This program was developed by former members of the CFP Board of Examiners (now CFP Board's Council on Examinations).

Most other online CFP® certification programs only have 10-14% of their students completing the program.

How do I register for the Online Self-Paced CFP® Certification Education Program?

For help with the enrollment process, call 844.721.7503.

Is there a payment plan?

Yes. Students electing the payment plan sign a promissory note to pay tuition over 6 months. There is an administrative fee of $150 for the payment plan option.

How do I purchase textbooks?

Textbooks can be purchased individually. Alternatively, all textbooks can be purchased as a bundle and will be shipped as you finish each course. Go here to purchase the Textbook Bundle.

What are the requirements to enroll in a CFP® education program?

Students who want to enroll in any CFP® exam education course offered by Dalton Education must have earned or be enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program from a regionally accredited college or university.

What are the requirements to sit for the CFP® exam?

Students must complete a college-level program of study in personal financial planning, or an accepted equivalent, including completion of a financial plan development (capstone) course registered with CFP Board.

Candidates must have completed 6,000 hours of experience through the Standard Pathway or 4,000 hours of experience through the Apprenticeship pathway to prove their ability to provide financial planning without supervision.

Please visit the CFP Board’s website for a detailed description of the requirements to sit for the CFP® exam.

What are the requirements to receive your CFP® mark?

Complete college or university-level coursework through a program registered with CFP Board, addressing the major personal financial planning areas identified by CFP Board’s most recent Job Analysis Study; and

Verify that you hold a regionally accredited college or university bachelor’s degree or higher (accreditation must be recognized by U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree is awarded).

Candidates must have completed 6,000 hours of experience through the Standard Pathway or 4,000 hours of experience through the Apprenticeship pathway to prove their ability to provide financial planning without supervision.

It is recommended that students have an operating system Windows 7 or higher or Mac OS 10.6 or higher. Students must be able to run, install, and configure programs and be able to store and retrieve documents and files on their computer. If you are unsure if you have appropriate permissions to save files to your computer, please contact your system administrator.

Students can send questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Our faculty will answer questions within 2 business days.

Do any of the courses count towards insurance, securities, or other CE credit?

No CE credits are issued through this program.

Who can I contact if I have more questions?

You can submit questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us at 877.426.2373 Monday through Friday, 9:00AM-5:00PM ET.

What are the exam reviews?

The exam reviews are instruction delivered online. Students are given access to watch recordings of these reviews. Instructors cover the most important concepts for the course and what is most likely to be on the exams.

What is The Dalton Review® for the CFP® Certification Examination?

Prior to taking the CFP® Certification Examination it is highly recommended that students take a review course for the CFP® exam. The Dalton Review® was developed by former members of the CFP Board of Examiners (now CFP Board's Council on Examinations) and has pass rates of 70-80% on the CFP® exam.

Is The Dalton Review® for the CFP® Exam included in the price of the program?

No, The Dalton Review® is not included in the basic package, but is available in the Self-Paced + The Dalton Review® Package.

What are the payment options?

We accept American Express, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover.

How is testing administered?

Generally, two exams are given for each course. Students will take an online midterm and final exam for each course. The midterm is 40% of the final grade and the final exam is 60%. Students must achieve a 70% for each course in order to receive a passing grade.

What if I fail an exam?

Course grades are calculated with 40% based on a midterm exam and 60% based on a final exam. Course exams are limited to one attempt per exam. If a student fails an exam they will have an opportunity to take a makeup exam. The makeup exams are different versions testing the same content.

Students failing a course with a course grade of 60-69 after exhausting all exam attempts can opt to do extra credit, which is available through an education advisor. Students failing a course with a grade of 59 or below will be required to repeat the course during a four-week sit out period.

What do I receive at the end of each course or program?

If you need a letter grade at the end of each course for reimbursement purposes, simply send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to request a letter grade to submit for reimbursement purposes.

After passing all courses, students will receive a certificate of completion from the university.

Are the exam reviews included in the price of the program?

YES. The exam reviews are an important component to the program and allow students to review important concepts prior to taking each exam in the program.

What is the refund policy?

Dalton Education must be notified of refund requests in writing to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. within 5 business days of receipt of materials. Students may access the course as many times as they want over the first five days of enrolling in the program and still receive a refund. No refunds are provided after the fifth day of enrolling in the program.

Address

5400 Laurel Springs Pkwy, Suite 202Suwanee, GA 30024

Call An Advisor Today

Prospective Students: 844.721.7503Existing Students: 877.426.2373

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* Please be advised that this is not a Louisiana State University E. J. Ourso College of Business website, but is a website developed and hosted by Dalton Education, with permission from Louisiana State University E. J. Ourso College of Business.

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Board of Standards Inc. owns the marks CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Dalton Education does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNING, and certification marks. CFP® certification is granted only by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Board of Standards Inc. to those persons who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP® Board-Registered Program, have met its ethics, experience and examination requirements.